Firm branching out into new markets
ATR Group is expanding into new markets throughout the UK, including a push into the downstream oil and gas sector as well as marine operations after investing £2million-plus in new plant and equipment.
Oil & Gas
MacCollam’s dream – building a modest energy empire
Nial MacCollam is a former petroleum industry technologist who made a leap of faith into the world of green energy barely a handful of years ago. Today, this one-time Exxon employee is a senior at fast-growing energy services group Senergy, of Aberdeen, and responsible for its renewable business.
Burntisland perfectly placed
Burntisland Fabrications is the sole surviving active offshore fabrication yard in Scotland geared up to building large structures for the oil&gas industry.
China set for 100GW of wind by 2020
CHINA will have 100 gigawatts of wind-power capacity by 2020 - more than three times the 30GW target the government laid down in an energy strategy drawn up just 18 months ago.
Dundee flexes its muscles – ready to do battle over renewables
Dundee has chosen this year's All-Energy as the launch pad for a drive to capture a share of the burgeoning renewable business.
Algae – a tantalising energy prospect
Passenger jets cruise at 10,700m (35,000ft) without a hiccup; in the US, catfish farmers lease ponds to biofuels entrepreneurs and venture capitalists sink $1billion or so into the lure of infinite green crude.
Scottish north-east under microscope in GILDED project
THE EC 7th Framework Programme project, GILDED (Governance, Infrastructure, Lifestyle Dynamics and Energy Demand: European Post-Carbon Communities), has finally been launched.
World one step closer to being Aquamarine’s oyster
A WAVE energy converter developed by Aquamarine has generated power for the first time using a full-scale test rig onshore. The device, known as Oyster, produced and exported electricity to the grid at the UK's New and Renewable Energy Centre (NaREC) near Newcastle.
Addressing the legal challenges
The legal challenges facing the development of offshore windfarms largely fall into two categories, the first concerning whether the planning and connection regimes are adequate to deliver offshore wind capacity on the scale envisaged by the Scottish and UK governments.
Aberdeen will not be deflected from quest for world-class role
The time has never been better for Aberdeen to engage with the renewables industry, and it is critical that it does so: both for the local economy and the effective deployment of renewable, especially in the maritime environment.
Indigenous content? Nah, too tough
I was disappointed, but not surprised, to learn that, once again, this country had let a potentially large commercial opportunity in the renewables sector slip away.
Minister bullish on outlook for renewable energy in Scotland
Scotland's Minster for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism, Jim Mather, insists that real momentum is gathering within the renewables/sustainable energy sector north of the border.
Subocean Group pumping £16million into renewables
Aberdeen-based subsea construction company Subocean Group has invested almost £16million in cable-laying equipment and the refit and mobilisation of a chartered cable-laying barge to meet growing demand from offshore wind developers.
Tidal energy – problem solved?
Typing "tidal turbine" into the world's favourite search engine generates 500,000 hits in less than a quarter of a second and throws up a range of devices, some developed and proven, many no more than speculative artist's impressions.
Getting to grips with marine renewables challenge
ScottishPower is among the leading renewables protagonists in the UK, with an ambitious investment programme - primarily in on and offshore wind. But the group is also ploughing money into marine renewables in the hope that wave and tide will make a viable contribution to Britain's long-term electricity requirements.
Wind turbines to produce millions of tonnes of business
A massive market that should soak up the capacity of several UK offshore fabrication yards and create thousands of long-term jobs in the manufacture of offshore wind-turbine substructures is there for the taking.
Middle East deals give Petrofac ‘high revenue visibility’
Petrofac, the international oil and gas facility service provider, said yesterday it had made a good start to 2009 and was confident the year would be another one of strong growth.
Subsea 7 to shed 85 jobs to cope with slump
A total of 85 jobs are to be axed across the UK operations of engineering and construction company Subsea 7, which employs around 1,000 people at Westhill, near Aberdeen.
Sovereign considers further disposals
Aberdeen-based Sovereign Oilfield Group said yesterday it was considering further disposals following deals unveiled earlier this week.
Osborne vows to fix tax regime for UK oil and gas sector
A Conservative government would fix the tax regime for the UK oil and gas industry for the lifetime of the remaining reserves in the North Sea.
Venture’s focus on proving reserves
Venture Production said yesterday that 2009 had started positively with good progress across all areas of its business: production, field development and drilling.
Global headwinds batter profits at energy group
Taqa, the Abu Dhabi national energy company, reported a first-quarter slump in profits yesterday as it was hit by lower oil and gas prices and weaker foreign-exchange rates.
Energy business helps AMEC to start year well
AMEC, which provides consultancy, engineering, and project-management services to the world's energy, power and process industries, said yesterday that trading for the year to date was in line with expectations.
Expro names the men to lead next stage of its development
Chief executive Graeme Coutts has moved up to become executive chairman of international oilfield service company Expro.
Encouraging performance by Wellstream Holdings
WELLSTREAM Holdings, the Newcastle-headquartered manufacturer of flexible pipes for the oil and gas industry, said yesterday that its performance for the year to date had been good.